I’m a chef. I love food. My life revolves around food. So the thought of being in a hospital for 48 hours or more without a good food lineup concerns me. Sure, there’s a good chance I’ll be in the process of doing what I came there to do (have a baby) most of the time there, but it doesn’t hurt to have a few legit snacks on hand that don’t just come out of a package to enjoy while going through one of the roughest/magical moments of life.
I’ve said it a thousand times and I’ll say it again, I’m not high maintenance when it comes to most things - but when it comes to what I eat and drink, I’m pretty extra. So while I can’t fathom the thought of walking into the hospital with rolling luggage like I’m going on holiday, I do plan on bringing a cooler bag full of goodies. Priorities: good quality picnic food, champagne (we must have a proper toast to celebrate baby... duh), and one of our good bottles of wine from traveling (another toast for baby of course).
Another reason for all this... with the Covid-19 situation, I’m not certain what the policy is on coming and leaving the hospital. So while I’ve heard of many people bringing in steak and lobster dinners post-baby, I don’t know what the situation will be given the 2020 chaos we are currently experiencing. So my cheese and charcuterie to-go plates are my backup plan. And if we are able to bring in a fancy meal too, that’s just a plus!
* My biggest tip: don’t make your cheese and meat boards weeks early thinking your due date will be extra early. I made that mistake several weeks early and a few items didn’t last. Today is my due date and I’m still pregnant - haha! If you choose to do that, go with all dried fruits and meats and cheeses with long expiration dates.
How To Hospital Cheese Board
*These are just some ideas and some of what I packed. They could obviously change seasonally or with what you like, but just get creative and have fun with it. And make sure you pack things that store well in a cooler or at room temp for a couple of days. Hard cheeses, dried fruits, etc.
Trader Joe’s Meyer Lemon Cookie Thins
Any light cracker or cookie
Blueberry goat cheese
Any fruit goat cheese
Honey goat cheese
Merlot cheese
Any nutty, hard cheese
Fresh figs
Any fruit that stores well
Dried hibiscus flowers
Any dried fruit
Candied pecans or walnuts
Any nuts or flavored nuts
Honey or honeycomb
Any fruit jelly or jam
Disposable plastic container with lid - for storage
Doilies or pretty napkins - for aesthetic plating
How To Hospital Charcuterie Board
*Again, have fun with this and get creative. These are just ideas and what I packed. Just make sure everything you pack can be stored in a cooler or sit at room temperature for a couple of days - most charcuterie/cured meats are fine at room temp for a couple of days.
Ritz Crackers
Any buttered cracker or favorite cracker
Already cooked sausage - sliced (I love Amylu brand and did the Apple Gouda flavor)
Turkey summer sausage
Any summer sausage
Salami or pepperoni sticks
String cheese
Salmi, pepperoni, prosciutto, or any cured meat you enjoy
Sliced cucumber
Carrots or celery
Honey mustard, Dijon, or Spicy mustard
BBQ sauce or favorite meat sauce
Disposable plastic container with lid - for storage
Doilies or pretty napkins - for aesthetic plating
Other fun foods and drinks to pack:
Drinks:
Bottle of champagne to toast baby
Favorite wine or a special bottle you’ve been saving
Real wine glasses or like-real plastic wine glasses (no point in bringing champagne or a good bottle of wine if you don’t drink it out of the right glass - y’all know how I feel about this)
* My favorite plastic wine glasses come from Williams Sonoma and they look and feel so much like real wine glasses it’s hard to tell the difference. I also like the GoVino stemless brand if you want ones you can just dispose of when you’re done using them.
Cocktail kit of your favorite cocktail - I’m debating this one but an Aperol Spritz is my favorite and I’ve missed it so much all summer so I may be doing a DIY kit for this!
Coconut water
Canned cold brew coffee
Fruit juice
Food:
Trader Joe’s Mini Croissants - baked and stored
Any frozen or homemade muffins or bread recipes - baked and stored
Peanut butter pretzels
RX Bars, Kind Bars, Luna Bars
CheezIts or Chips
Favorite dried snacks
Salt water taffy or gummies
Favorite candies
Gum or mints - for fresh breath when you can’t brush